Detroit Teen Builds Wheelchair-Adaptable Stroller for New Mom

Being able to push a baby in a stroller is something most mothers don't think twice about, but it initially wasn’t an option for new mom Sharina Jones. The 35-year-old Michigan native, who has been paraplegic since she was accidentally shot by a child playing with a gun 30 years ago, found that her wheelchair prevented her from taking her child for a stroll. That was, until a Detroit high schooler designed the perfect solution.

After six months of hard work, 16-year-old Alden Kane presented Jones with a wheelchair-adaptable stroller that would be safe and comfortable for her and her little one. He crafted the device in his high school STEM class (which stands for science, technology, engineering, and math) and collaborated with the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) to make the design a reality. 

The University of Detroit Jesuit High School where Kane is a student and UDM both place heavy importance on doing work in the classroom that benefits the surrounding area. "In the community, there's a lot of need for different types of products like the one for Sharina," Dr. Darrell Kleinke of UDM told Fox 2 Detroit.

The stroller is made with lightweight steel tubing that snugly fits the baby’s car seat and connects to the wheelchair. After perfecting his design, the high school senior hopes to eventually apply for a patent. For now, he can take pride in knowing there's at least one mother whose life has been made better by his invention.

[h/t: Fox 2 Detroit]